In 1773 Thomas Ward, age 40, newly married, made a settlement
     on the waters of Cross Creek (now Washington County, Pa) according 
     to his statement made when he applied for his Virginia land certi-
     ficate. This is now Eldersville, Jefferson Township. It became a 
     part of Yohogania County, Va in 1776; Hopewell Township, Wash-
     ington County, Pa in 1781; Cross Creek Township 1793; Jefferson 
     Township 1853. It lay near the (West) Virginia border and was 
     south of Hanover Township.
     

        In 1814 Thomas Ward laid out a town-Wardsville-and sold 
     lots. It later became Eldersville. In 1781 he was a private in 
     Captain Peter Kidd's militia company. (Was Thomas related to James 
     Grier Ward-grandfather of General George Armstrong Custer-who 
     was a constable at nearby Burgettstown in 1800?) See below.
     

        Thomas Ward died September 22-1823, fifty years after his first 
     settlement. He had been granted 400 acres in 1786 and had bought 
     additional adjoining land in 1809. His will, written June 17-1820, 
     probated November 7-1823, named wife Sarah (who died October 16-
     1844) and 10 Ch, all living. Named in order they are: Robert, 
     Philip, Rebecca, James, Mary, Daniel, Sarah, John, Thomas, Nancy. 
     The executors were wife Sarah and son James. After her death the 
     land was to be sold and the money divided among the Ch.
     

        James stayed on in Washington County. The record is: 
     1801 single freeman, Cross Creek Twp
     1803 married Nancy Hamilton, daughter of Richard and Catherine Hamilton
     1805, 1809 got land from his father
     1808 taxed Cross Creek Twp
     1810 census in Hanover Twp beside Richard Hamilton
     1812 had fulling mill, bought land 1812 and 1823
     1840 census in Cross Creek Twp-mother 90-100
     1850 census in Cross Creek with wife and daughter Julia A.-James blind
     1860 census in Hanover Twp
     1863 died Beech Bottom, W Va
     1873 wife died New Cumberland, W Va 
     The longevity should be noted: James died at 95, his mother at 95, 
     his son James at 100, his father-in-law at 91. 
     

     THOMAS WARD b 1743 d Sep. 22-1823 m c1772 Sarah b c1749 d Oct 16-1844
     1. Robert Ward b c1773, freeman 1796, 1810 census 5 Ch, 1813 "gone"
     2. Philip Ward b c1775
     3. Rebecca Ward b c1777
     4. James Ward b Oct 8-1778-see below
     5. Mary Ward b c1780
     6. Daniel Ward b c1782 d May 1852 Columbus Grove, Ohio m Feb 12-
         1818 (Jefferson Co, Ohio) Anna McDonald-freeman 1805-07
     7. Sarah Ward b c1784
     8. John Stockton Ward b c1786-fuller with James, Hanover 1813-14
     9. Thomas Ward b c1788
     10. Nancy Ward b c1790
        The place of death is known only for Daniel and James. The 
     others may have gone west. 
     

     JAMES WARD b Oct 8-1778 d Mar 17-1863 Beech Bottom, W Va 
      m Oct 24-1803 Nancy Hamilton b Jul 28-1783 d May 14-1873
     1. Richard Ward b Aug 7-1804 d Jun 9-1886 m Jun 28-1825 Martha Hayes
        Ch: Eliza, Nancy, John, James, Martha, William, Robert, Emma
     2. Thomas Ward b Jan 7-1806 d May 7-1833 single
     3. Catherine Ward b Sep 25-1808 d Nov 2-1882 Washington Co 
         m Mar 4-1828 William Pettibon.
        Ch: Elihu, James, William, John, Christopher, Benjamin, Thomas, 
            David, Martha, Nancy, Eleanor, Rebecca, Albert
     4. Sarah Ward b Apr 3-1812 d 1881 Marietta, Ohio m May 1835 John Ward
     5. James Ward b Nov 9-1813 d Sep 26-1913 Washington, Ohio
         m Jan 29-1834 Margaret Leeper.
        Ch: David, Mary, Martha, Richard, Eliza, Albert, Joseph, 
            Birdie, James, Jane.
     6. Nancy Ward b Apr 28-1819 d Nov 6-1892 Wellsburg, W Va
         m Jan 18-1838 George Washington Carmichael 1812-1857
        Ch: James Ward, Catherine Amy, Mary Elizabeth, Moses Cole, 
            Nancy Eleanor Green, Albert Wheeler, Jeanetta Jane, 
            Winfield Scott, John Haviland, Martha, George Washington
     7. Philip Ward b Nov 61820 - see below.
     8. Finley David Ward b May 6-1823 d Sep 9-1898 Indiana 
         m Sep 23-1843 Elizabeth Ann Conn
        Ch: Nancy Ann, Dorcas Malinda, Martha, Virginia, Eliza, 
            Rebecca Alice, Finley David, Prude Laura
     9. Margaret Ann Ward b Aug 25-1825 d Sep 1-1900 Washington Co
         m Sep 14-1843 William Jackson Potts.
        Ch: Reuemah, William Jackson, Jerome, Thomas Albert, James Albin
     10. John Stockton Ward b Oct 23-1831 d Feb 10-1872 m May 27-1852 
          (Marietta, Ohio) Susanne Pickle
     11. Julia Ann Ward b Dec 28-1834 d Apr 15-1915 Ray, Ill
          m1 Aug 22-1853 Thomas Harrison Matthews 
          m2 Nov 8-1876 Samuel Blair Hindman
         Ch: Lemonia, Rumsey Winona, Juniata
             Note the prevalence of the name Martha.
     
     PHILIP WARD b Nov 6-1820 d Oct 27-1901 Hancock Co, W Va 
      m Sep 1-1842 Sarah Trimmer b Sep 14-1820 d Jan 10-1901
     1. Eliza Jane Ward b Sep 7-1843 d Nov 28-1916 New Cumberland, W Va 
         m Oct 9-1862) William A Jones.
        Ch: Prussia, Winfield, James Milo, Charles, Jemima
     2. Thomas Lewis Ward b Aug 31-1845 d Mar 14-1917 m Mar 1871 
         Martha E McFerren - Toronto, Ohio
        Ch: Lena, Leslie
     3. Martha Melvina Ward b Oct 17-1848 d Feb 24-1924 Eldersville, Pa 
         m July 1-1875 Oliver Tucker
        Ch: Sarah (Butler), Mary Belle (Potts)
     4. Johanna Ward b Mar 11-1851 d Feb 2-1894 Hancock Co, W Va 
         m Dec 29-1870 Wallace W Herron
        Ch: Philip Ward, William Emory, Rhoda K
     5. Nancy Ward b Dec 16-1853 d Mar 23-1912 Canonsburg, Pa 
         m Sep 13-1888 Francis Brady
     6. Jemima Ward b Dec 30-1856 d Jan 19-1902 Hancock Co, W Va 
         m William Herron
     7. James E Ward b Apr 3-1858) d 1935) Hancock Co, W Va 
         m Nov 19-1885 Mary Genine Newman
     8. Frank M Ward b July 2-1860 d Toronto, Ohio 
         m Oct 2-1883 Christina McElfresh
     9. Charles F Ward b Aug 4-1862 d Crafton, Pa m Sep 18-1889 Emma L Manor
     
     Another WARD family
     
     GEORGE WARD b c1733 d 1808 Warren Co, Ohio - "1760 Durham, 
      England to Pa" m c1756 Mary Grier b c 1738 d 1819 
      in Dauphin Co, Pa c1760 to 1795
     1. John 1757-1799 Dauphin Co m Elizabeth Whitley
     2. Thomas 1759-1834 Groveland, N Y. m Mary Howd - to N Y c1796
     3. George 1761-bef 1816 Ohio
     4. William 1763-bef 1805 Dauphin Co m Mary Harrison
     5. James Grier 1766-1824 New Rumley, Ohio m Catherine Rogers
         Burgettstown, Pa 1797-1807 - Steubenville, Ohio 1809 - New 
         Rumley 1815 - grandfather of General George Armstrong Custer
     6. Samuel 1769-1841 Ohio m Nancy Ward
     7. Mary 1771- Ohio m John Petticrew
     8. Anne 1774-1853 Indiana m Lazarus Ainsworth
     9. Letitia 1781-1818 Ohio m John Jordan
     
     RICHARD HAMILTON b 1762 N J d Jun 6-1853 Washington Co, Pa 
      m c1782 Catherine --- b 1764 N J d Oct 21-1850 to Washington Co
      c1801-1850 census Smith Twp-1810 - 40 Hanover Twp
     1. Nancy Hamilton b July 28-1783 - see above
     2. Sophia Hamilton
     3. Hannah Hamilton m Jacob Bebout - Ohio
     4. Edith Hamilton b 1803 Pa d 1890 Paris, Pa 
         m Robert McConnel b 1794 d Aug 23-1875
     (Another Richard Hamilton of Chester Co, Pa got a Revolutionary pension.)
     
     John Trimmer d 1750 Hunterdon Co, N J m 1721 Mary --- 
      from Feldkirchen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
     
     Anthony Trimmer 1724-1754 Morris Co, N J m 1749 Elizabeth --- 1723-1781
     
     Paul Trimmer 1750-1834 Washington Co m 1780 Jane (daughter of 
      Moses & Agnes) McElwain - no connection to Anthony Wayne
     
     Anthony Trimmer 1781-1841 m 1798 Jane (daughter of Nathan & 
      Jane) Manning
     
     Sarah Trimmer 1820-1901 m Philip Ward-see above